L.121

An older British lamp with the very typical pyramid-shaped cast iron base/foot and painted glass font. What made me buy this lamp was the ancient Duplex burner by Hinks & Son and the beehive ball shade, which has quite an unusual ornamentation.

The base, like many older English lamps, is made of pyramid-shaped cast iron, here beautifully painted black. The font is made of light green glass with fine painting.

The burner is a very early Hinks burner, because it has neither thread nor bayonet, nor the usual extinguisher. It can therefore be dated between 1865 and 1873. It is simply inserted into the collar of the font. The collar, on the other hand, is threaded; and I think this font was made quite a bit later than the burner. The lamp itself is probably from the 1880's.

The shade is made of colourless glass, modelled in the shape of a beehive, and etched with stylised dragon motifs (dragon heads with female breasts!) and other ornamentation of the historicism era. I also consider this shade to be quite old. I suspect that it also dates from the 1880's.

The oval Duplex chimney also bears a mark I have not seen before (Fort Brand - from Prussia!). But since the font collar does not bear a Hinks mark, the lamp is probably not an original Hinks lamp. I will keep it as it is without replacing any parts. I just had to put in two new wicks.

Lamp Data

Added by me:
All parts are original parts of the lamp.

Cleaning and repairs:
Not necessary.

Lamp body:
Base of typical English pyramidal iron casting, horse's head in stylised vase and other ornaments, square, openwork, painted black, 168 x 168 mm, Ø 214 mm.
Font of light green opal glass, polychrome painted with flowers and ornamental stripes, Ø 158 mm (fixed to the base, could not remove). Font collar with thread.

Burner:
Duplex burner of Hinks & Son, Birmingham, without bayonet or screw fitting. Firmly combined with the globe holder.
Wick knob marked: James Hinks & Son / Patent Duplex. White glass inlays.
Cap outside of the bridge marked: Hinks & Son's Patent.
Two flat wicks, each 27 mm. Transport wick not provided.

Glass chimney:
Duplex chimney with oval bulge. Height 251 mm, Ø fitter 64 mm.
Marked: Fort Brand - Best Fire Proof Prussian Crystal + tower in a circle.

Shade and shade holder:
British beehive-shaped ball shade, colourless glass, frosted, flat transparent dragon ornamentation.
Height 186 mm, Ø fitter 99 and bulge 193 mm.
100 mm globe holder for 20’’’ burners; integral part of the burner.

Lamp dimensions:
Height up to collar 28.3 cm, total height with chimney 57.7 cm.
Total weight 2780 g.